Nash Health Care and the N.C. Healthy Start Foundation will work together to give Infant Safe Sleep Check List Posters to parents of every baby born in Nash Health Care in October for National Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month.

Each poster comes with a thermometer and has an attractive, but clear, safe sleep message: “Stomach to Play, Back to Sleep.” Placing a baby on his back to sleep for the first year of life is the most effective way to reduce the risk of SIDS. The Infant Safe Sleep Check List Poster reminds parents and caregivers that babies always should be placed to sleep on their back, in a safe crib.

Although there are many causes of infant death across North Carolina, SIDS is one of the leading causes. In 2009, SIDS accounted for 98 deaths in children under 1 year of age. According to the N.C. State Center for Health Statistics in 2009 13 babies died in Nash County (rate of 10.3 per 1,000 live births). In addition to SIDS deaths, many babies die from accidental suffocation and strangulation. These preventable deaths are often related to babies being placed in unsafe sleep spaces with excess bedding, on couches and parents sleeping with their babies, according to the N.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The safest place for a baby to sleep is alone in a crib or bassinet close to their parent or caregiver.

Debbie Lynn, a lactation consultant with Nash Health Care, arranged for the hospital to receive the Infant Safe Sleep Check List Poster.

“Although the causes of SIDS are still a mystery, there are ways that parents can reduce the risks and prevent other infant sleep related deaths,” she said. “Hospital staff members are provided many opportunities to educate new parents and model safe sleep behaviors. We are thrilled that new parents will leave Nash Health Care with information to help their babies sleep safely once they get home. The Infant Safe Sleep Check List Poster helps not only reinforce the back to sleep message to the parents, but it gives them a tool to educate others. Where there is a baby, there is an opportunity to educate everyone about the importance ways to reduce the risk of SIDS. The poster is also available in Spanish.”

Safe sleep tips for new parents include:

• Put your baby on his or her back to sleep for naps and at night.
• Use a firm mattress for baby’s crib.
• Keep pillows, comforters and soft blankets, stuffed animals and toys out of the crib.
• Baby should sleep in his or her own crib.
• Do not let anyone smoke near your baby.
• Breastfeed your baby: as well as many other benefits, it can reduce the risk of SIDS by 50 percent.
• Keep baby and the room temperature comfortable (68˚-75˚F) – not too hot.

The N.C. Healthy Start Foundation has been collaborating with hospitals across the state to distribute educating materials during SIDS Awareness month since 2007. The hospital initiative, called HOPES, has provided resources to more than 45 hospitals to evaluate and support their policies, practice and education regarding infant safe sleep. This year, more than 8,000 babies are expected to leave hospitals with the Infant Safe Sleep Check List Poster. For more information about baby’s safe sleep visit www.NCHealthyStart.org or call 919.828.1819.

Nash Health Care is a non-profit hospital authority comprised of five licensed hospitals totaling 403 beds: Nash General Hospital, Nash Day Hospital, the Bryant T. Aldridge Rehabilitation Center, Community Hospital and Coastal Plain Hospital.